Tuesday, 24 January 2012

The Caribbean has always been considered one of the most luxurious and exciting holiday destinations in the world, and now the Duchess of Cambridge has given the islands her royal seal of approval.

Kate Middleton’s choice of holiday destination was always going to be big news. The Middleton sisters have a reputation for style and understated elegance, so it came as little surprise that they chose the super-exclusive Caribbean island of Mustique for their first holiday of 2012.

This week Kate jetted off for a relaxing week in the sun away from royal engagements, winter weather and endless hoards of paparazzi. The Duchess joined her parents, sister Pippa and brother James on the tiny, privately-owned island for what is reportedly a belated 30th birthday celebration. And if one royal isn’t enough, Prince William is also rumoured to be joining the sisters and the rest of the Middleton clan later this week when he returns from RAF duty.

Mustique has long been a favourite holiday destination of the Middletons and it’s no surprise that they keep coming back to this idyllic Caribbean hideaway. The island has been associated with royalty ever since Princess Margaret acquired ten acres of land there in the 1960s and it is a firm favourite with well-heeled celebrities such as Elton John, David Bowie and Mick Jagger.

Mustique is so exclusive it has fewer than 100 private villas, with the Middleton’s choice of accommodation costing an eye-watering £15,000 per week. Whilst this may not weigh too heavily on the royal purse, us mere mortals would do well to look for a slightly less intimidating price tag for a winter getaway.

The good news is that you can still enjoy some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, stunning villas and exciting activities without the king-sized bill when you check out. It really is possible to uncover your perfect Caribbean break without shelling out princely sums, and there are many less costly islands which offer the same white sand, sunshine and relaxation for a fraction of Mustique’s A-list prices. With an island for every budget, there’s no need to compromise the next time you want to escape. After all, everyone needs a day off from the paparazzi from time to time…